


The song of the Nabateans; a reprise throughout history

by ConlangTurtle



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Catherine is secretly Charon, Charon and Riegan are siblings, Claude von Riegan is secretly Riegan, Gen, Ignatz possesses a crest of Charon, Judith is secretly Daphnel, Mute Claude von Riegan, Petra possesses a crest of Riegan, Time Loop, have this mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-09 01:36:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20986649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConlangTurtle/pseuds/ConlangTurtle
Summary: Small moments of Charon and Riegan's lives all the way from Almyra to Brigid.





	The song of the Nabateans; a reprise throughout history

Charon remembered when her baby brother was born, a little shitof a baby brother, Emmy had called him. Emmy, Charon's mother, wife of the king of Almyra, a woman who couldn't care less about them. It hurt to hear her speak those words, it really did. Boris was never home (was he dead?) and the maids weren't much kinder than a rose. Was it always like this? Charon on the brink of tears while her mother was drinking something red and ruling a country? She really hoped it wasn't, Riegan didn't deserve to grow up in a place like this one. 

Charon had retreated to her room with Riegan shortly after he didn't need constant supervision. The maids had begun panicking and Charon had locked her door. No one knew where Riegan was. No one but Charon. Only Charon knew where Riegan was and she would keep it that way, if only for a second. She'd always protect him. Looking down on her brother, she saw how weak he truly looked. This was her baby brother. Her poor, helpless baby brother. 

"I'll protect you from ma' and pa'." It was a simple promise, to never let their darkness touch him. Charon already knew too much of it, Riegan didn't need to go through the same thing. He didn't need to experience the room slowly filling with fire smoke or how Emmy would slur with that bottle in her hand, raising it from time to time without actually doing anything, just holding it in the air. "They'll never touch you, brother. If they even as much as breathe in your direction, I'll cut them down. You shouldn't have to be tainted by their darkness." Charon pressed a light kiss to Riegan's head. "I promise." 

Charon had locked the door and barricaded it again. Riegan was in there, too. Charon could practically feel her mother's glare through the door. Emmy didn't know Charon had moved Riegan's crib to her room, keeping her baby brother safe from whatever shitstorm was out there.

_(Another night of tears.) _

Emmy had thrown away the food when the maids left, not letting Charon or Riegan eat a single bite. And here she was, expecting to be forgiven? Who thought that way? A psychopath? Someone who lost it? That woman did, that's who. 

_(She wished Charon would live a happy life.) _

Charon began humming as she slowly wagged her brother to sleep. 

Charon often found herself in the closet, metaphorically and literally. Right now, she was in a closet, hiding from her brother. A few minutes ago, they had begun a game of hide-and-seek, Charon knew exactly where to hide. Riegan may have been more perceptive than her, but he definitely couldn't hear Charon's breaths. It was the perfect hiding spot! Charon would eventually switch, though, as Riegan would eventually check inside the clothing-filled object. 

Steps inside the room alerted Charon of Riegan's presence. It wasn't the steps of those high heels all maids wore, so it could only have been Riegan. Instead of the steps travelling around the room, they waltzed right up to the closet. The doors opened a bit to reveal a single green eye. Riegan. "I found you, dear sister of mine." 

"Move." Riegan moved out of the way as Charon jumped out of the closet. "You found me." 

"Indeed I did." 

Charon laughed. "You're the best brother I could've asked for." 

Charon hated studying manners. At some point, the tutor would blow up and call for security. This was Riegan's first lesson, too. She kept shouting- why didn't she stop- make her stop- kill her if it got her to be quiet- it took Charon a second to realise there was blood on her hands. 

The tutor's blood. 

Riegan grabbed her by the arm and began running. 

At the age of twenty-nine and nineteen, Charon and Riegan fled the castle. 

The streets of Almyra were always bustling with people, horses, pegasi, and wyverns. The occasional dog or pet snake would be seen near the alleys or shops, Charon always keeping track of the darn animals. Riegan was always right behind her, holding onto the hand Charon had let him clutch. For three years, they had lived on the streets of Tábor, a famous city in eastern Almyra. It was located right next to Fódlan's border. 

During the night, Charon and Riegan had found a wyvern carriage on it's way to Fódland, travelling in the morning. It was the perfect plan, sneak into it, stay there in secret, escape when they could and live out the rest of their days in Fódland. The only possible flaw they could think of was someone else already living there and accidentally alerting the one who was riding the darn thing. 

In the end, the two royals managed to hide quite well in the carriage. Charon kept close to an egg while Riegan put himself between two near-hatching eggs. They sat there, waiting for the night o end and finally be free. Free from Emmy and Boris, free from any screaming maidens, free from the castle. At some point in the night, Charon had reached for Riegan's hand. 

Neither bothered to move closer to each other, as they were already asleep. 

"What the-" 

"Ah!" Instead of Charon waking up on her own accord, she woke up to someone shining a bright light into her eyes. Or was that the sun? Charon honestly didn't know. 

A shadow moved. "I've found someone! Goneril, Fraldarius, Daphnel, get over here!" 

"On it, Gloucester. Leave the lovebirds alone, would ya'? They're practically inside each other already." Charon's eyes took a few seconds to adjust. Noticing the shadows were people - ever beautiful people - Charon put her hand on the hilt of her sword. "With their tongues, I mean. They haven't started stripping just yet." 

"Voyeurism." 

Daphnel laughed. "Yeah, you Maiesiophilia-freak." A hand pulled Charon out of the wagon, placing her on the ground. Two men stood in front of him. "Goodness gracious, you're dirty, do you need a bath? You need a bath." 

"Wait!" Charon couldn't argue, as she was dragged off. 

Two hours later, and Riegan panicking for another four, sat Chaton in a chair with Riegan in her lap. Everyone had left the two of them in a room for themselves, seeing as they needed a bit of privacy. Goneril had said something along the lines of getting their boss, Daphnel saying he would do it instead when Fraldarius followed Goneril. Riegan might not have understood it, but Charon sure did. 

And she did not enjoy it. 

"Blood? You want to give us blood?" 

Flame - an old, old man - sat in the chair in front of them, holding a bone sword by its hilt. "Yes, Charon-dear. It is for an experiment. Because of your young age, I'll let you two leave if you feel the need to. But in the case you accept, I want you to stay for at least a few months, practising your new weapons." 

"I accept," Riegan said, something akin to amazement in his eyes. 

"Then I, too, accept," Charon added. 

Riegan found himself wielding Failnaught expertly, Charon doing the same with Thunderbrand. Of course, they had to change their names, as one could not be named after their crest. Daphnel became Lady Judith, Gloucester became Ordelia, Flame became Nemesis, Goneril became Achille, and Fraldarius became Hildr. They were the only ones the duo actually cared about. For all they cared, Blaidydd could go stab himself, or Dominic could walk into another wall. 

Of course, when Charon learnt of the other elites' true intents, she fled with Riegan once more. 

Brigid was nice, it was peaceful and no one dared to bother them. No one dared to bother the woman with a scary sword and the man with a breathing bow. Eventually, a legend hit their ears. 

The woman with the scary blade and the man with a breathing bow were sent from up above to save the people from a future evil. They will strike down everyone on the battlefield, no matter friend or foe. And the only way to save your heritage would be to pay them in money, furs, and food. 

Not true, but, hey, who said no to free riches? 

It was years later, long after both Riegan and Charon had gotten children, that they left Brigid. They had watched their kids grow up, grow old, and die. Yet they didn't look a day older than when Nemesis gave them their weapons. It was only natural they wanted answers. 

They left Brigid at night, disappearing without anything but a legend to be remembered by. 

The next morning, they found themselves outside a monastery. 

"Cathrine, Claude," Rhea said. Cathrine turned around, interested in the archbishop's words. Claude was standing next to her, holding her hand. "The bishop is now gone. He will never harm either of you again." Claude looked over his shoulder. "I wanted to tell you as much at least." 

Claude ran a finger across the scar on his neck. The bishop had managed to corner Claude which sent him panicking, a nearby set of scissors had been Claude's salvation, even if he accidentally stabbed himself with them. The whole situation had ended in Rhea asking for the bishop to be executed and Claude becoming mute. 

"I also have a proposition for the two of you," Rhea waited before continuing, "I want you to become teachers." 

"Really?" 

"Yes, Charon." 

Cathrine found herself enjoying the teaching life, teaching those small souls how to fight and think. One year, a boy named Achille Victor was in their class. It was the first time Cathrine had ever seen glasses. Claude found himself liking the boy, too. 

Another cute thing about Achille was one of his many talents - signing. 

Cathrine had never seen Claude smile so much after the Bishop left his mark.

After the house leaders (how many years had they been teachers?) were saved, a mysterious mercenary named Byleth appeared. Rhea made them a Knight of Seiros and- 

"You're Cathrine and Claude, right?" Jeralt. While neither Cathrine or Claude had directly had a conversation with him, they knew who he was. "I see neither of you has aged much." 

"The years have been kind to us, Jeralt." Cathrine turned around, papers in the hand not occupied by her brother. "The same can be said for you as well." 

"I can see that." 

Before either could continue, Ignatz and Petra ran towards them. "Petra wants to switch class, professor! Please! Let her switch!" 

When Cathrine looked back, Jeralt was far away. Either he deemed the conversation over, or he was taken away. Not that it mattered. 

Cathrine didn't like the new archbishop, not that it mattered. As long as Claude was safe, it didn't matter what Cathrine's feelings were. For all she cared, Claude could as well marry the new archbishop, as long as it was of his own accord. 

Seeing their descendants spend time together warmed Cathrine's heart. Seeing how Petra tried on those glasses was quite cute. And how Ignatz tried to locate them, too. They didn't care much about who the new archbishop was, just that they were related. They knew the truth. ("You're Charon and Riegan!? And I'm related to Petra?") They knew the truth of it all. 

Which was why they didn't bother calling Daphnel by her new name. 

"I did not believe you would get a pair of-" 

"The donor was very kind, thank-you-very-much." 

"Don't get sarcastic, Daphnel." 

"Young miss! I thought you were better than this." 

"Do you want to see them or not?" 

"With that attitude, I might just not!" 

Neither had changed a bit. 

Cathrine looked around her, all of the people were crying, again. Ignatz and Petra had died together, of old age. They had left their two children behind - Emmy and Boris. Cathrine couldn't say exactly why they seemed so familiar. Not that it mattered much. 

They had disappeared and the news of a new king and queen in Almyra interested Cathrine. 

Charon woke up to the crying of her baby brother in her room. 

**Author's Note:**

> I did not mean for it to turn into this mess, but here you have it.
> 
> Fun fact: I misspelt Goneril multiple times. Everything including him that hints at Goneril/Fraldarius is because of how I misspelt it. Boneril. Yeah, have fun knowing that.


End file.
